Opening a bank account in the Netherlands as an expat: BSN, IBANs and your rights

In the Netherlands, the number that unlocks almost everything is the BSN (burgerservicenummer, citizen service number), which you receive when you register with your municipality. You do not always need it on day one: bunq and ABN AMRO let you open an account first and give you 90 days to add your BSN, and N26 says it does not require one.

What you will be asked for

Requirements depend on the bank. These items come up most often:

Getting your BSN

According to the Dutch government, if you plan to live in the Netherlands for more than four months, you must register in the Personal Records Database (BRP) at the municipality where you will live, within five days of arriving. Make an appointment with your municipality; a partner or children moving with you must come along. Registering is free, and after registration you receive your BSN, which you need for taxes, healthcare and other dealings with the government.

Two exceptions are worth knowing. If you are waiting for a residence permit, you do not have to register within five days. If you will stay four months or less, you cannot register with a municipality, but you can register as a non-resident (RNI) and still receive a BSN. RNI registration is done in person with a valid passport or ID card; EU, EEA and Swiss citizens can choose any RNI desk, while other nationalities can only book Breda or Venlo. At the desk you receive a letter with your BSN.

Opening an account before your BSN arrives

You will often need a bank account before the municipality appointment comes through: for a rental deposit, a first salary or health insurance premiums. Three examples:

bunq

bunq is a Dutch bank. It says opening an account takes about five minutes with your phone and ID document, and that if you do not have a BSN yet you have 90 days to get it. bunq's help centre explains that for Dutch residents the tax identification number is the BSN; if you miss the 90-day deadline, the account is temporarily limited until you provide it. bunq says you can hold IBANs from several countries, for example a Dutch IBAN for life in the Netherlands and a second one for home. Eligible euro deposits are covered up to €100,000 under the Dutch Deposit Guarantee Scheme. For plans and prices, see bunq plans explained.

ABN AMRO

A traditional Dutch bank, shown here for comparison. ABN AMRO says you can become a client without a BSN, but you cannot use the account until you provide proof of residence. If you do not provide your BSN within 90 days, it blocks the account, and after 120 days the client relationship ends.

N26 and Revolut

N26 lists the Netherlands as a supported country and says you can open an account there without a BSN. Its deposits are protected by the German deposit protection scheme up to €100,000. The N26 pages we checked do not say which IBAN country Dutch residents receive, so check this in the sign-up flow.

Revolut is moving customers who live in the Netherlands to its Netherlands branch with a Dutch IBAN; migration happens in phases, about two months after a notification email. Deposits held with the Netherlands branch of Revolut Bank UAB are covered by Lithuania's deposit insurance scheme up to €100,000 per depositor. See the Revolut listing.

At a glance

The Dutch scheme, run by De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB), covers €100,000 per depositor per bank and aims to pay out within seven working days. More in is my money safe in a neo bank?.

If a bank refuses you: the basic payment account

The Dutch government explains that if you cannot open a regular payment account, you can apply for a basisbetaalrekening (basic payment account) at ABN AMRO, ING, Rabobank or SNS. You need a genuine interest in a Dutch account, such as living, studying or working in the Netherlands. The account works like a normal payment account (transfers, bank card, online and mobile banking, paying rent, insurance and taxes), but you cannot go overdrawn, use a credit card or open a savings account.

A bank may refuse if you already have a payment account or basic account at a Dutch bank, cannot show a genuine interest, had a basic account closed in the past two years, or have a final criminal conviction from the past eight years. If you disagree with a refusal, complain to the bank first, then to Kifid, the Dutch financial complaints institute, which is free in most cases. Revolut also offers a basic bank account through its Dutch branch, with no maintenance fee and no fee on euro transactions; other fees may apply.

Can you keep your foreign EU IBAN?

Yes. Under the SEPA Regulation, companies have had to accept euro account numbers from other European countries since August 2014; refusing them is known as IBAN discrimination. In the Netherlands, DNB handles these complaints through its website and can impose fines or orders subject to a penalty. Savings accounts are not covered by the rule.

Practical tips

1. Book your municipality appointment as soon as you have an address; the BSN follows registration.
2. If you need an account straight away, check the bank's BSN deadline and diarise it.
3. Everyone living in the Netherlands must have Dutch health insurance; the government also suggests applying for DigiD, the digital identity used with government bodies.

Compare the providers available in the Netherlands in our comparison table for the Netherlands. Moving elsewhere? Read opening a bank account in Germany as an expat, in Spain, in Italy or in Ireland, and see which neo banks accept residents of each country.

Moving to Belgium? Read opening a bank account in Belgium as an expat: the documents banks ask for, your right to the basic banking service and BE IBANs.

Sources

• Government.nl: Registering with the municipality in the Netherlands
• Government.nl: What do I need to arrange if I'm moving to the Netherlands?
• Netherlands Worldwide: How can I get a citizen service number?
• Rijksoverheid: Wat kan ik met een basisbetaalrekening?
• Rijksoverheid: Afwijzing betaalrekening consument
• DNB: Recurring complaints about IBAN discrimination
• NVB: Dutch deposit guarantee information sheet
• bunq: What to expect as an expat in the Netherlands
• bunq Help: Why do I need to fill in a Taxpayer Identification Number?
• bunq: Deposit protection
• ABN AMRO: Citizen service number (BSN)
• N26 Support: Can I open an N26 account in my country?
• N26: How to open a bank account in the Netherlands
• N26: Security
• Revolut Help: Switching to a Dutch IBAN
• Revolut: Deposit insurance information (Netherlands)
• Revolut: Basic bank account (Netherlands)

Prices and features checked on 30 October 2026.

This guide is general information, not financial advice. Fees, features and availability change, so check the provider's own website before you apply. Read how we compare providers and our affiliate disclosure.